Here's my little story:
Me and my dad both got tags for Colorado a few months ago to hunt some private grounds around Craig, Co. This was a 5 day semi guided hunt during the 4th season. We (my dad, mom and myself) got there on Tues and the hunt started on Wednesday through Sunday. It was extremely COLD during the whole hunt. Just about every day the temp never got above 10 degrees and ranged from -22 to 10 degrees during our trip.
On the first day we woke up around 3:30am and got ready to head out. As we got out to the area we could hunt it was like -5 degrees and we were told to sit in a spot and glass. Basically how they would hunt is sit on top of a ridge/high point and just glass and glass until you would see elk. If they came to you great but if they were spotted a ways off you would drive to try and get in front of them and or get setup to cut them off and hopefully get in range to get a shot. We didn’t see much early in the am but a lot of deer, in fact there were lots of muley bucks and doe's and the rut was on. We didn’t see anything big during our stay with the biggest buck probably being 24 inch 4x4. Anyway later that afternoon a huge herd of 200-250 elk were spotted coming our way. We had to head down the hill to get into position for a shot. So we got all setup and the elk started to make their way down the hill. Prior to the elk showing up we had ranged some areas to get an idea of how far I could shoot. So the elk made their way closer and closer and we could see several bulls in the group. Nothing big but this area isn’t known for big bulls but with it being a migration area you never know what could come out of the mountains. The closest they got was around 450-500 yards. The herd was mingling around each other and really didn’t provided a good shot not to mention it was a ways out there and I had never really shot that far before so we let them pass on by. It was also the first day so we figured we would have more opportunities. About that time another hunter who was with us showed up and they actually took a shot and missed. Once they shot then the whole herd took off a different direction and we weren’t able to get a chance at them. Another hunter did get in front of that herd and took a small 4 point bull. That was the end of our day with no more elk being spotted but another hunter got a lone 5x5 bull not too far from us that we never saw.
The next morning was cold again, we headed out to the same area. As day light broke we got to area and spotted a small group of about 8-10 elk all cows but 2 spikes. We didn’t see much more in that area and headed to another area and still didn’t see much but could see some elk on some fields a few miles away. We went back to the area we sat at in the morning and still nothing. Was a slow and cold day but we stuck it out and headed home at dark.
Friday comes around and its cold and snowing -15. We head to the south end of the ranch hoping that the elk we seen in the fields might have made their way towards our area during the night but we didn’t see anything. Our guide took us to the other ranch as another guide glassed up 4 bulls that bedded down. So we got over to that ranch which took 20 min or so and spotted the bedded elk. There were some good bulls in this group so we tried to make our way towards them. As we were glassing them all of a sudden they got up and took off running. So the guide that we were with took off and we followed him to try and get to an area he thought they might cross. We get up close to the area he thinks they will cross and they never did. Well we run into another person who was hunting and they had actually taken one of the bigger bulls in the group which was a nice 6x7. We were told that group of now 3 bulls had made its way back down into the valley they were spotted in and so we kept glassing and glassing but they were never spotted again. No clue where they went but somehow they seemed to sneak away from several eyes that were watching this particular area. We headed back to the other area from the morning and didn’t see any more elk but once again a lone 5x5 bull was killed just over the next ridge and yet we didn’t see him. Headed home at dark and at this time was getting a little disappointing not seeing too many elk but with the weather things can change quickly.
Saturday comes and again we head to some high points to look and glass an area. We sat there pretty much all day and didn’t see any elk. It was a good thing there were mule deer to watch to keep us occupied. So we talked and planned to hunt a few hours the next day as we wanted to head home Sunday afternoon so that we make it back home by Monday night.
It’s now Sunday the last day and again its really cold -11 degrees with snow on the ground from the night before. We head out and wait for sun to come up and start driving around. Not 5 min into driving we spot 2 good bulls off in the distance. We try and get in front of them several times yet they out played us and were off into the next town. After chasing them around we then head over to the other ranch and spot some more elk off in the distance but they end up being on some different property. This time it’s getting close to 11am and we were about to call it quits and head to the hotel and pack up. About that time our guide says come with me there’s a lone bull bedded down and we think we can get you into range if he stays put. So we head over that way and talk to a few other people who had watched the bull bed down and they planned on us going down this road and should give me a 300 yard shot at the bull if he doesn’t move. So we eased on down the two track snow covered road to where the bull was. We get down to where we can see him and get as close as we can all while staying in the truck. I spot the bull and can see he’s a shooter and get my rifle ready. At this time my dad had ranged the animal to about 437 yards and was as close as we could get. I got situated and aimed the barrel of my Remington .300 WSM topped with Zeiss 4.5-14x scoped right on the bull who was still laying down. Clicked the scope power up to 14x and held the crosshairs right on his shoulder but just a hair higher then I normally would and touched it off. The bull didn’t move, so I chambered another 180 grain Federal Fusion shell in and fired away. This time was a clean miss and dusted the bull with snow as I shot low. I chambered another round in but this time the bull got up and then looked as if he took 2 or 3 steps and laid back down but where he laid down he was not visible from our angle. So we back tracked and went up on top of the ridge above where he should be. Everyone that had been watching knew he was hit with the first shot and could hear the hit so knew that he wasn’t going to go anywhere but we just needed to finish him off. So we got up to where he should have been but where it was and with the snow and sage it would have been very difficult to get me to get a finishing shot. So my dad grabbed his gun and he and the guide went to where the bull was and the bull got up, he was hit hard and tried to make a move but his front right leg was gone and my dad finished him off (I do have a permit to hunt out of the vehicle and can have someone retrieve an animal for me). When the bull took off and tried to run up the hill he actually made it easier to pack out as he traveled closer to the truck lol. I got out of the truck and got up to the bull and he was a nice 5x4 and my first bull. We got some pictures and some words and high fives were said and done. They field dressed him and got him into the back of the truck and took him to the locker. We thought well I guess we won’t be leaving today and we continued to hunt the rest of the day since my dad still had a tag. We hunted the rest of that afternoon and evening but were unable to fill his tag. I don’t think my dad cared too much once I had taken a bull as he was pretty excited and so was my mom.
We got up the next morning and headed to the locker and they had cut up the meat and had it all ready for us when we got there. They even did a euro mount of the skull/horns and it was ready. We were pretty shocked they had that all done and ready as it hadn’t even been 24 hours but they did and that was awesome. So we loaded up and made the trek home. One the way home we stopped in Utah and dropped off the ivory to have it made into a pendant being this was my first bull. We got home late Tuesday night and actually tonight had some elk steak and it was pretty tasty. We have lots of meat so we should be set for a while and hopefully we can do another trip in the future.
Heres my Bull, not the biggest but my first!
Me and my dad both got tags for Colorado a few months ago to hunt some private grounds around Craig, Co. This was a 5 day semi guided hunt during the 4th season. We (my dad, mom and myself) got there on Tues and the hunt started on Wednesday through Sunday. It was extremely COLD during the whole hunt. Just about every day the temp never got above 10 degrees and ranged from -22 to 10 degrees during our trip.
On the first day we woke up around 3:30am and got ready to head out. As we got out to the area we could hunt it was like -5 degrees and we were told to sit in a spot and glass. Basically how they would hunt is sit on top of a ridge/high point and just glass and glass until you would see elk. If they came to you great but if they were spotted a ways off you would drive to try and get in front of them and or get setup to cut them off and hopefully get in range to get a shot. We didn’t see much early in the am but a lot of deer, in fact there were lots of muley bucks and doe's and the rut was on. We didn’t see anything big during our stay with the biggest buck probably being 24 inch 4x4. Anyway later that afternoon a huge herd of 200-250 elk were spotted coming our way. We had to head down the hill to get into position for a shot. So we got all setup and the elk started to make their way down the hill. Prior to the elk showing up we had ranged some areas to get an idea of how far I could shoot. So the elk made their way closer and closer and we could see several bulls in the group. Nothing big but this area isn’t known for big bulls but with it being a migration area you never know what could come out of the mountains. The closest they got was around 450-500 yards. The herd was mingling around each other and really didn’t provided a good shot not to mention it was a ways out there and I had never really shot that far before so we let them pass on by. It was also the first day so we figured we would have more opportunities. About that time another hunter who was with us showed up and they actually took a shot and missed. Once they shot then the whole herd took off a different direction and we weren’t able to get a chance at them. Another hunter did get in front of that herd and took a small 4 point bull. That was the end of our day with no more elk being spotted but another hunter got a lone 5x5 bull not too far from us that we never saw.
The next morning was cold again, we headed out to the same area. As day light broke we got to area and spotted a small group of about 8-10 elk all cows but 2 spikes. We didn’t see much more in that area and headed to another area and still didn’t see much but could see some elk on some fields a few miles away. We went back to the area we sat at in the morning and still nothing. Was a slow and cold day but we stuck it out and headed home at dark.
Friday comes around and its cold and snowing -15. We head to the south end of the ranch hoping that the elk we seen in the fields might have made their way towards our area during the night but we didn’t see anything. Our guide took us to the other ranch as another guide glassed up 4 bulls that bedded down. So we got over to that ranch which took 20 min or so and spotted the bedded elk. There were some good bulls in this group so we tried to make our way towards them. As we were glassing them all of a sudden they got up and took off running. So the guide that we were with took off and we followed him to try and get to an area he thought they might cross. We get up close to the area he thinks they will cross and they never did. Well we run into another person who was hunting and they had actually taken one of the bigger bulls in the group which was a nice 6x7. We were told that group of now 3 bulls had made its way back down into the valley they were spotted in and so we kept glassing and glassing but they were never spotted again. No clue where they went but somehow they seemed to sneak away from several eyes that were watching this particular area. We headed back to the other area from the morning and didn’t see any more elk but once again a lone 5x5 bull was killed just over the next ridge and yet we didn’t see him. Headed home at dark and at this time was getting a little disappointing not seeing too many elk but with the weather things can change quickly.
Saturday comes and again we head to some high points to look and glass an area. We sat there pretty much all day and didn’t see any elk. It was a good thing there were mule deer to watch to keep us occupied. So we talked and planned to hunt a few hours the next day as we wanted to head home Sunday afternoon so that we make it back home by Monday night.
It’s now Sunday the last day and again its really cold -11 degrees with snow on the ground from the night before. We head out and wait for sun to come up and start driving around. Not 5 min into driving we spot 2 good bulls off in the distance. We try and get in front of them several times yet they out played us and were off into the next town. After chasing them around we then head over to the other ranch and spot some more elk off in the distance but they end up being on some different property. This time it’s getting close to 11am and we were about to call it quits and head to the hotel and pack up. About that time our guide says come with me there’s a lone bull bedded down and we think we can get you into range if he stays put. So we head over that way and talk to a few other people who had watched the bull bed down and they planned on us going down this road and should give me a 300 yard shot at the bull if he doesn’t move. So we eased on down the two track snow covered road to where the bull was. We get down to where we can see him and get as close as we can all while staying in the truck. I spot the bull and can see he’s a shooter and get my rifle ready. At this time my dad had ranged the animal to about 437 yards and was as close as we could get. I got situated and aimed the barrel of my Remington .300 WSM topped with Zeiss 4.5-14x scoped right on the bull who was still laying down. Clicked the scope power up to 14x and held the crosshairs right on his shoulder but just a hair higher then I normally would and touched it off. The bull didn’t move, so I chambered another 180 grain Federal Fusion shell in and fired away. This time was a clean miss and dusted the bull with snow as I shot low. I chambered another round in but this time the bull got up and then looked as if he took 2 or 3 steps and laid back down but where he laid down he was not visible from our angle. So we back tracked and went up on top of the ridge above where he should be. Everyone that had been watching knew he was hit with the first shot and could hear the hit so knew that he wasn’t going to go anywhere but we just needed to finish him off. So we got up to where he should have been but where it was and with the snow and sage it would have been very difficult to get me to get a finishing shot. So my dad grabbed his gun and he and the guide went to where the bull was and the bull got up, he was hit hard and tried to make a move but his front right leg was gone and my dad finished him off (I do have a permit to hunt out of the vehicle and can have someone retrieve an animal for me). When the bull took off and tried to run up the hill he actually made it easier to pack out as he traveled closer to the truck lol. I got out of the truck and got up to the bull and he was a nice 5x4 and my first bull. We got some pictures and some words and high fives were said and done. They field dressed him and got him into the back of the truck and took him to the locker. We thought well I guess we won’t be leaving today and we continued to hunt the rest of the day since my dad still had a tag. We hunted the rest of that afternoon and evening but were unable to fill his tag. I don’t think my dad cared too much once I had taken a bull as he was pretty excited and so was my mom.
We got up the next morning and headed to the locker and they had cut up the meat and had it all ready for us when we got there. They even did a euro mount of the skull/horns and it was ready. We were pretty shocked they had that all done and ready as it hadn’t even been 24 hours but they did and that was awesome. So we loaded up and made the trek home. One the way home we stopped in Utah and dropped off the ivory to have it made into a pendant being this was my first bull. We got home late Tuesday night and actually tonight had some elk steak and it was pretty tasty. We have lots of meat so we should be set for a while and hopefully we can do another trip in the future.
Heres my Bull, not the biggest but my first!
Go Broncos!
